Every year I like to create goals for myself, my teens and young adults (how I can help them with achieving their own goals), and my family. It gives me a little bit of inward accountability. Occasionally, people I see in real life will say, “Hey, I saw your goals for the year. How’s it going on that plan now?” It also gives me a place to log what I am striving for and then look back and see how I did.
Writing Out Your Goals
I usually type my goals into my Evernote so I have them on my phone and on my laptop. I also write them out in my planner. It’s nice to have them written down in your own writing so you can look at them. I find it’s much better for me to make 90-day goals than to have New Year’s Resolutions.
It's much better for me to make 90-day goals than to have New Year's Resolutions. Click To Tweet
Then I can break down my 90-day goals (quarterly goals) into monthly chunks and then weekly to-do items. It just seems easier to conquer that way. Resolutions seem to fall by the wayside by February and I end up having nothing to show for it.
This year, I want to simply post my goals here and then spend some time specifically talking about setting goals with your teenager.
First, a brief look through my 2022 goals:
Word for the year:
Growth: meaning spiritually, my businesses, number of chapters memorized, physical strength
Verse for the year:
I will set him securely on high because He has known my name. Psalm 91:14
Quote:
“Spectacular achievement is always preceded by unspectacular preparation.” by Robert Schuller
Spiritual:
- Daily quiet time and prayer- Daily in Christ devotional and Bible Recap plan/podcast
- Memorize 10 chapters in the Bible–Romans 12 and 8, Ps 112 and others
- Complete Precept Bible study (Fall / Spring)
- Finish Colossians study and Chosen study
- Complete Isaiah part 1 and 2
Personal:
- Complete Round 1 of Metabolic Renewal (12 weeks); If goes well, repeat!
- Lose 15 pounds by Thanksgiving: 5 each quarter
- Walk– 7000 steps a day
- Read 36 books this year (3 per month) (10 books are spiritual growth-related); 2 books are business-related.
Marriage:
- Weekly dates / talks
- 2 getaways
- 30th anniversary trip(s) / nice dinner?!
Family:
- Intentional Training (both spiritual and school)
- Summer family vacation to Salt Lake City and other places
- Hannah: be supportive, assist with the job change, and her move to Salt Lake
- Haley: summer job, new apartment in fall, finding places to shadow/research
- Haven: college decision and help her move in August, coaching her through relationships
- Harris: RHS Band, catch up on math, science, and computer science, A’s in History and English; KSU dual enrollment in fall, weekly accountability for his grades
Business:
- Blog post 2-3 times a month
- Monthly reporting and meeting goals
- Create and complete minicourse for homeschoolers on grading and record keeping
- Finish course site and go live
- Complete online course: study skills
- Begin monitoring and facilitating new High School Parents Coaching Club at North GA Homeschool
- Work at ACA West including coaching parents, monthly newsletters, and quarterly seminars
Home:
- Update laundry room and master closet
- Paint red room
- Swap out lights in kitchen
- Quicken: receipts, better system, budget
- New floors at lakehouse
- Paint bathroom, hall, bedroom at lakehouse
Ministry:
- The Table on Delk – twice a month
- LIV Life Initiatives and Values Group – once a month plus extra events
Friendships:
- 12 friendship dates (1 per month)
- 12 families or couples over to our home for dinner night (1 per month)
- Week at the beach with my girlfriends
- Lake weekend with couples
- Give wedding shower for friend
Setting Goals With Your Teen
When my kids were little, we would have tea or hot cocoa time at the beginning of the year and I would talk to them about what they wanted their goals to be. We would make a list together – either I would write it out or they would. Then I’d make a copy for me and they could post theirs wherever they would see it – a bulletin board, their door to their room, above their desk, the bathroom sink, etc.
In this way, they had OWNERSHIP of their goals and I got a little buy-in from them on getting some things done that were good for them. As they got older, they started setting goals on their own. Sometimes they fill me in on what they want to achieve, other times it’s personal and they don’t want to talk about it. I view that as a good thing. I want them to grow into being responsible for their own growth as a person.
Time To Be A Coach
Now I find myself in more of a coaching role with them than as a parent. It’s quite a nice thing. We have fewer reasons to discipline and more time for talking through decisions and actions, both good and bad. I encourage them to strive to achieve things with their life. I support what they are working on and if I can do a little research for them or help them word an email professionally, I’m right by their side assisting where I can.
Lately, I’ve helped one with a job change and a move across the country, advising another on ideas where she could shadow for the medical field, helped another “cold call” to try to get a part-time job in some local businesses, and assisted my son into getting connected with the local high school so that he could participate in the bands there. They are doing the work, but I’m helping, guiding, and advising behind the scenes.
Setting Goals Could Include A Word of the Year
One way you can be intentional with your kids is to have them choose a word for the year that they will strive to become like. Our pastor always announces a word of the year and so some years our kids will choose a word too. This is fun to watch how their word plays out during the year. Here are some of ours for this year: “Enough” (as in He is enough), “Strength”, “Joy”, “Restore”. Craig likes to joke that his word is, “Repair.” haha. I guess that’s the dad-life for ya. I like to order a bracelet from Etsy for my word for the year so I am constantly reminded of it. We have a friend who orders his printed on a coffee mug.
Specific Ways to Help Your Teen with Goals
One way you can help your teen set some goals is to discuss their future plans with them. They may not really know their plans yet, and that is okay. But you can help them discuss various ideas. You could also get them to take the youscience test and see if any of the careers they are matched with seem interesting. Let them know that this is not set in stone and they can always change their mind in the future.
Then, as you discuss this possible career idea, think about what it will take to get there. Do they need to go to college? What type of college seems best? In order to go to college, what things do they need to have on their transcript in the next year or two? Will they need to save some money? Does this mean they should consider getting a part-time job? Where could they consider working part-time?
Drill Down Big Ideas to Come Up With Goals For This Year
Now, as you drill down these questions to practical solutions, you can come up with some goals for this year. Maybe their goal is to get a summer job. Should they add a computer or cosmetology or welding course to their plan for high school? Maybe their goal is to get Health and PE done in 9th grade so they can take a business class by the time they are in 11th or 12th to see if they are interested in a business pathway.
Each solution here is going to be highly personal so you will have to tailor it to your own family and your teen’s interests. But I think these ideas might help you get started.
What about you? How are you being intentional with your kids this year and with setting some goals? Do you have any big plans or new ideas? Let me know in the comments!
Blessings,
Michelle
P.S. – I just started a NEW High School Parents Coaching Club. If you need help homeschooling high school, that is the place to get it!
